32 foreign students join University College

Mangaluru: For the first time, 32 foreign students will pursue their undergraduate studies at University College, Hampankatta. Principal Anasuya said, “All the candidates got admission under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship programme. So far, foreign students used to receive education at the government first-grade college in Konaje.”
Anasuya told TOI that the majority of the students who have applied to University College hail from Yemen and other African countries. “This year, the newcomers preferred subject combinations that are available only on our campus. Consequently, the International Student Centre, which handles admissions and looks after the well-being of foreign students, has asked us to admit 32 students for various courses,” the principal said.
She added that initially when Mangalore University started to invite foreign students, they first joined University College and later moved to Konaje. “If all goes well, this will be the first foreign batch students to pursue their undergraduate studies at the Hampankatta campus,” Anasuya said.
Jayaraj Amin, acting vice-chancellor of MU, told TOI that there have been a good number of applications from foreign students. “Since some courses are not available at the Konaje campus, they will be accommodated at the University College. Meanwhile, the admission will be delayed this year since the process has yet to start, which has several steps,” said Amin.
MU started foreign student admissions in 2014–15, during the tenure of then vice-chancellor K Byrappa. To date, the varsity has seen students from more than 25 countries studying in various UG, PG, and PhD programmes.